Improvement in propelling vessels



rrnn STATES PATENT rricn.

GEORGE WV.' FULTON, OF BRAZORIA COUNTY, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROPELLING VESSELSI.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 4,716, dated August 26,1846.

` of steam, and in connection therewith an improved manner of condensingthe escape steam from the engine and supplying the boilers with puredistilled water; and I do hereby'declare the following to be a full andexact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the center ofasteam-engine, doubleacting force-pump, still-water pipe, condenser,&c., as I arrange them in the hold of a Vessel. Fig. 2 is a top view ofthe same, detachedfrom a vessel. Figs. 3, 4,.and 5 are perspective viewsof a water-chamber O, by which I connect the main water-pipe leadingfrom bow to stern with the force-pump. Fig.

6 is an end elevation of the stern of a vessel showing gratings, &c.

The steam-engine G and d`ouble-acting force-pump F employed by me areconstructed and operate in the usual manner. Theirpistons f areconnected to eachother, causing the pump to be acted upon by the directreciproeating motion of the engine.

In thebow of a vessel, below the waterline, I secure a water-tight chestA, from the front of which apertures pass out through the planking ofthe vessel each side of the cutwater for the free admission of water.These apertures are protected by gratings K for preventing any foreignsubstances that may be in the water from entering the water-chest. Intherear of the water-chest A is a smaller water-tight chest c,whichcommunicates with the main forward chest by a valve b opening rearwardinto the rearchest lc. There are conical tubes dpassing from the rearchest k through the main forward chest and out through the bow on bothsides of the cut#water, or' may be carried out directly from the water`pipe c', as represented by the dotted lines a a. The water-pipe c',passing along the bottom of the hold' of the vessel by the side of vthekeel or on the top of the same from the bow to the force-pump,communicates with the rear water-chest 71;. propelled by the power oftheforce-pump the water is drawn through the pipe c from the chest Athrough the valve b to the forcepump, and forced out through thepipe cat the stern. Vhen the motion is reversed and it is desired to back thevessel, the valve b closes and the water is drawn in at the stern andforced out at the bow through the conical tubes a. The after part of thewater-tube c, leading from the force-pump to the stern of the vessel, isconnected to the stern in the same manner .that the front end of thefor- Ward part of the pipe c is to the bow `of a vessel-viz., by twowater-tight chests below the water-line-connected to each other by avalve Z.

B is the main or after chest, and 7c is the forward smaller chest. m isa conical tube communicating with the smaller chest la, and passingthrough the main after-water chest B and out through the stern of thevessel. g

closed, and the propelling stream of water isforced out through theconical tubes m on either side of the rudder. Vhen the vessel is backed,the valve Z opens and the water is drawn from the main Water-chestthrough the stern to the pump and forced forward and out at the bow, asbefore described. ward and after parts of the water-pipe c are connectedto the side pipes of the force-pump by means of the circularwater-chamber O in such a manner that the pilot can reverse the motionof the water in the water-pipe from front to rear or rear to front, orcan prevent a current of water from flowing through the pipe in eitherdirection and partially shut off the steam from the engine by the actionof a valve h in the chamber O without calling upon the engineer, ashereinafter set forth. Y

The chamber O is divided into four equal apartments, numbered 1, 2, 3,and 4. Apartment No. 1 is connected to the after part of When a vesselis The forthe water-pipe c. Apartment 3 is connected In the center ofthe water-chamber C, at thel intersection of the divisions of theapartments of the same, there is a projecting pin or aXle fn', uponwhich a semicircular valve h is secured and revolves. The valve h has asemicircular recess t' secured to a ring of metal. The recess z' exactlycovers and connects two of the apartments of the waterchamber. The Valvecan be turned so as to connect the forward portion of the waterpipe cwith the induction side pipe of the force-pump and the after portion ofthe Water-pipe c with the eduction side pipe of the pump or the reverse,at will.

a is a pin on the side of water-chamber for regulating the motion of thevalve 72, when "the valve is turned and arrives at its proper positionfor inclosing two of the apartments of the water-chamber. There areshoulders on the ring of the same, which strike against the pin e" andsecure the valve in its proper position. The valve h revolves betweenthe top of the divisions of the apartments of the water-chamber C andthe cap which incloses the same.

P is a crank attached to the axle of the valve h, which passes throughthe center of the cap of the water-chamber. The valve h is placed underthe direction of the pilot or steersman ofthe vessel in any convenientmanner or by any means thought best. When the valve 7L is turned so asto embrace and connect the apartments 2 and 3, the induction-pipe 'n' ofthe force-pump is brought in connection with the forward part of thewater-pipe c', and the eduction-pipe n of the pump is inconnection withthe after part of the water-pipe c, leading to the stern. Consequentlythe motion of the pump will draw the water in at the bow of the vesselthrough' the forward part of the water-pipe and force it out at thestern through the after part of the water-pipe, thereby propelling thevessel.

Vhen it is desired to check the headway of the vessel or reverse itsmotion, the valve is turned so as to embrace the apartmentsl and 2,which will connect the induction-pipe of the force-pump with the afterpart of the water-pipe c. The motion of the pump when the valve is thusarranged will draw the water in at the stern and force it out at the bowof the vessel. When the valve h is turned so as to halt' inclose theapartments l and 3, the forward and after portions of the Waterpipe willbe brought into communication with both the induction and eduction pipesof the force-pump at the same time, consequently there will be nopropelling action caused by the currents of water in either part of thewater-pipe. NVater will be drawn in and discharged at both ends of thewater-pipe c by the action of the pump, the one counteracting the eectsof the other.

Steam is conveyed from the boilers to the engine through the pipe q, inthe usual manner. The steam escapes from the engine through the apertureh into the condenser d d, placed in an enlargement E of the forwardportions of the water-pipe c.

The condenser is composed of two chambers d d CZ d, united by smalltubes ff, around which the water in the enlargement of the Water-pipecirculates. The steam escapes into the after condensing-chamber, and iscondensed in its passage from that to the forward chamber of the samethrough the condensing-tubesff.V The water ot' condensation is drawn outof the forward chamber of the condenser through the pipe e by the pumpsg g, which convey the same to the boilers in the usual manner. The pumpsg g are connected to the engine by the cross-head c, connecting-rod e',pendulum d', vibrating levers b b', and rock-shaft ct', in anywell-known or usual manner.

D is a still for making up any deficiency of the condenser of puredistilled water for supplying the boilers. The bottom of the still is inthe form of an inverted cone, and is connected with the enlargement E ofthe waterpipe c.

a a is a stop-cock, through which any deposit made in the bottom of thestill may be blown olif.

Water for distillation is admitted to the still through the pipe rfromthe water-chamber C or air-vesselj. y

y is a stop-cock for regulating the admission of water into the still.

The water in the still is evaporated by a jet of steam conveyed into thesame through the pipe t from the steam-pipe q.

fu is a stop-cock for regulating the admission of steam into the stillthrough the pipe t.

fu, is a pipe'for conveying the vapor from the top of the still into thecondenser or pipe e, leading from the condenser to the pumps g g forsupplying the boilers.

b b is the throttle-valve placed in the steampipe q, which is operatedas follows: On the top ot' the pipe r, leading from the waterchamber Cto the still, there is secured a short open cylinder s, the bottom ofwhich communicates with the pipe r. In this cylinder a plunger isplaced, which is attached to the lower end of the rod y. The upper endof the rod y is connected with the lever fr of the throttle-valve b b inany convenient manner. As there is butavery small quantity of Waterpermitted to tlow from the pipe r into the still there will be greatpressure of water in the pipe and cylinder s, when the engine andforce-pump are in motion. This pressure raises the plunger in thecylinder s, attached to the rod y, which enlarges the opening in thethrottle-valve -b b and permits an increased quantity of steam totheengine When the valve 71. is turned so as to partially connect bothends of the Water-pipe o with both side pipes of the force-pump, asrepresented in Fig. 4, so that the pump will draw in water from both bowand stern Water-pipes at the same time, and expel through both at thesame time, causing the Water to be nearly stationary in the Water-pipe,there Will be but little or no pressure in the pipe o". Consequently therod y Will fall in the cylinders and allow the weight on the lever as toclose the throttlevalve b b, thereby shutting off the steam from theengine. In this manner the admission of steam to the engine is perfectlyself-governed and regulated to its Wants and requirements and placedunder the entire control of the pilot or helmsman, who can by the actionof the valve h increase or diminish the quantity of steam admitted tothe engine at will. In case a vessel should spring aleak from any cause,I can remove the Water from the hold by the force-pump F, and propel thevessel by the Water as it is discharged in the following manner, to Wit:In the first place I close the communication between the front end ofthe main Water-pipe c and the Water-chest A in the bow of the vessel byclosing in the orifice between the Water-chests Aand k byaslide-4 valved d. I then open a communication between the hold of the vessel and theVmain Water-pipe c by opening a valve in the lateral i pipe c c,communicating With the enlargement E of the same. The action of theforce-pump F when thus connected with the main Waterclaim thereinas'new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. rIhe manner in which I connect the main Water-pipe c with the boW andstern through the medium of the double Water-chests A lc and B laconnecting valves b andl Z, apertures or strainers K K, and conicalnozzles a and m, combined and operating substantially in the manner andfor therpurpose herein set forth.

2. The manner of reversing the current of Water in the main Water-pipe cfrom front to rear and from rear to front, and otherwise regulating thesame while the engine and pump are in motion by means of the .Water-Yconnecting chamber C and valve h combined and operating With the sidepipes of the pump F, substantially in the manner and for the purposeherein set forth. l

3. The manner of regulating and stopping the issue of steam through thethrottle-valve b b, by means of the pipe r, cylinder s, and plunger-rody, combined and operating with the water-chamber C and valve k,substantially as herein set forth.

' G. W. FULTON.

Witnesses:

Z. C. RoBBINs, I-I. I-I. SYLvEsrER.

